Jon Rahm claimed victory at the Abu Dhabi Championship at Yas Links GC, finishing at 23 under par and winning by two strokes over Tyrrell Hatton. This marks his 11th DP World Tour title in 92 starts, making him the third fastest to reach that milestone behind Tiger Woods and Seve Ballesteros. He also secured his sixth Rolex Series win, breaking a tie with Hatton for the most.
Rahm's win comes in his first start since leaving LIV Golf. He expressed emotion about the victory, noting his recent struggles and the birth of a new family member. He highlighted a key 6-iron approach on the 15th hole as a contender for shot of the year.
The victory moves Rahm to No. 6 in the Race to Dubai standings, giving him a chance to win the season-long title at next week's DP World Tour Championship. He would need Rory McIlroy to finish worse than second and current leader Eugenio Chacarra outside the top eight. Rahm has won the DP World Tour Championship three times previously and captured the Race to Dubai in 2019.
McIlroy finished third at 19 under, halving his deficit to Chacarra and moving to second in the Race to Dubai. Patrick Reed sits third, with Casey Jarvis and Aaron Rai rounding out the top five. McIlroy remains optimistic about his chances next week.
